Death Before Defeat
by Benning
Summary: Nathan Jemison is a scientist at Horizon Base Epsilon when the Covenant attack. Armed with few weapons and weak armour, Nathan knows he must defend the station with his life. However, not all of his crew think the same way... Are the Covenant the biggest threat to the group?
1. Death Before Defeat

Theodore Moore paced nervously around the room, his movements hindered by the bulky spacesuit he wore.

"Fuck it, man. I say we run for it."

The command centre of Horizon Base Epsilon was completely transformed from the dark and slightly obsolete place it was an hour ago; computers had been pushed onto the desolate surface or Horizon, tables and some of the larger data banks had been turned on their sides as makeshift cover, and eight armed scientists stood in the middle of it, all almost identical in their suits apart from a small strip of paint around their arms. Ted's was cyan to mark his role as head geologist.

"No way that's happening, Ted," Nathan Jemison said, checking through his magazines. "If the Covenant get their hands on this site, it's game over."

"You know, to be fair, you still haven't really explained that one, Nate." Security Chief Ricky Norris leant his lanky figure in the doorframe. "I mean, the data's deleted, the physical maps have been burnt, and frankly as a strategic location it's about as worthless as a cup of cold piss."

"Look, the fucking aliens are invading our home, we're holding them off. Who knows what we could find at the dig site, hmm? Anything of worth down there, the Covie bastards are gonna get it and then we're all fucked."

Horizon base Epsilon was one of ten bases situated on the distant moon of Horizon. Totally devoid of any life or a chance of terraforming, the UEG had posted ten research bases across it to take advantage of its abundance of gold.

Of course, there were always rumours of ONI looking for something bigger…

Nathan checked his watch. Ten hours ago, Gamma had gone dark. Eight hours ago, Delta released a desperate scream for help, saying the Covenant was attacking. Now, only Epsilon and Beta remained; finding a base maybe one kilometre in length over an entire moon's surface was not an easy task.

Ted had bitched constantly about evacuating, about running like cowards. Jemison wasn't about to let that happen. He kept in mind the tales of heroes the UNSC radio channel usually blared on about; the tales of Master Chief and his Spartans were awe-inspiring, it was true, but was really captivated him was the broadcast about James McGuire. A farmer who lived with his son, the two manages to hold off the Covenant for hours using nothing but farming equipment and fallen weapons until rescue came.

That was who Jemison wanted to be.

"God, it's the waiting I can't stand. I fucking welcome the plasma cannons if they goddamn stop this waiting."

Jemison turned to a moaning Monica Cruz, and said, "Well, go and check outside. Give you something to do. Go on, take Li with you."

The two shrugged, and left.

They trudged down the lifeless steel corridor. Jemison had turned the lights off "To save power", leaving the area basked in the faint green glow from luminescent materials running in a strip down the entire hallway.

"Impending alien invasion and he turns the fucking lights off. Brilliant," remarked Cruz, holding her assault rifle awkwardly. "Hey, Li, you ever held one of these before?"

"Nope."

"Me neither. Fucking mental case. Thinks he's going to hold off a bunch of Covies with some goons who're all gonna get killed in about five seconds. Pointless."

They passed through the airlock and out onto the moon's barren surface.

Cruz leant against the fence, and Li did the same.

"Li, other than Yale, how many people here are capable of flying?"

"I Norris can. So can Melissa, I think. Why you ask?"

"I think we both know the answer to that."

Li chuckled to himself. "Fine. You got any actual plan? Cause I doubt Jemison's just gonna let us fly out of here."

"I'll think of something…"

"Oh shit," said Li suddenly.

"What?" said Cruz, but she stopped when she turned in the direction of Li's gaze.

A covenant phantom was hovering above them.

Kevin Farrell was praying desperately. He had never been a religious man, and he supposed he still wasn't, but it was worth a try. His body was filled with equal parts anticipation, exhilaration and fear.

He turned to Jemison.

"S-so, Nate, you think we'll survive?"

"Of course we will."

When he saw Kevin trembling, Jemison looked him in the eye, and said, "Look at me, son. I cannot promise anything, but what I can say is this; I will NEVER leave anybody behind."

Kevin nodded, and a smile began to form. "…Yeah…Yeah! Thanks, Nate."

Melissa Carter and Tom Yale were leaning against the computer banks, idly discussing things to hide their fear, when Li and Cruz came storming back.

"They're here!" screamed Cruz, vaulting herself over the computer bank.

Jemison began shouting. "Okay, Farrell, Li, Carter, you're on the first line of defence. Moore, Norris, you're with me at the second barricade. Cruz, Yale, you're are reserve; anyone gets hit, you're replacing them."

They all slid into their positions. Jemison, Norris and Moore rested their guns on the barricade; Farrell, Li and Carter ran down the length of the small corridor to the barricade constructed there.

The whirr of the Phantom cut through Farrell like a blade. He clung to cover desperately, sweat dripping down his forehead. His assault rifle rested awkwardly in his cumbersome gloves.

Carter dared to stick her head out of cover; three elites, with a score of six grunts in their wake, dropped from the phantom.

"They don't know we're here," said Jemison through his com. "Use that to your advantage. They go down like butter, Farrell. You seen that vid of the Spartans? The one on Harvest? That's what it's like. Easy."

"Okay," whispered Li, "We go in three…two…one!"


	2. Mors Tua, Vita Mea

The three of them hefted their guns onto the barricade and all opened fire. And none of them released it for a full three seconds. The recoil jolted through Farrell like an earthquake, and his ears exploded with pain.

The gunfire stopped, and for a single instant the three of them inspected the damage they had caused.

The grunts lay on the floor, either dead or dying; bioluminescent blood drenched the yellow, musty surface.

One of the Elites stood with his shield partly drained, the other two almost unscathed.

The largest elite of the three, decked out in white and black, fired his needle rifle.

None of the humans were ever going to be able to duck in time, and thus it came down to who the Ultra had been aiming for.

It was Carter. The needle smashed through her visor and lodged itself directly into her forehead. As the soft hiss of air escaping sounded, she collapsed onto the ground.

Farrell screamed. Li did his best to ignore both the screams and the death of his friend, but before he could even load a second clip into his gun a plasma bolt struck his shoulder.

"Fucking hell, I'm hit!" he screamed, as the plasma burned away his suit's shoulder plate and sank into his skin.

For a second, he didn't feel anything. Then burning, which intensified and intenisifed and jesus fucking Christ his arm was going to burn-

"Arrragh!" Li screamed, contracting. Farrell began hyperventilating.

"Nate," he shouted, crying. "I can't do this."

"No, no, you can. I'll be up there, in a second, you just need to stay there for one more minute."

Farrell looked at the dead body of Carter, and then at Li, still contracting, crawled up into ball and screaming, trying desperately to gulp down any scraps of air still in his suit.

And he bolted for the others. He didn't even make it to the door.

The needles zoomed in on him, pierced into his back, and before he could even scream he exploded in a cloud of pink mist. The lifeless body of Kevin Farrell landed just before Jemison's barricade.

"Oh shit," said Moore, his heart beating like a jackhammer. "Nathan, Nathan, we've gotta go."

Jemison began to panic for a single nanosecond, before reminding himself it was Farrell's own fault for running. A harsh way of deflecting guilt, but it had to be done for the good of the mission.

He turned to Moore. "We're not going anywhere. They won't have died in vain."

"Look, we're all gonna be dead, with or without vain, and I really don't care which."

Jemison's determination turned to anger, and he punched Moore in the face.

"Listen to me, Ted. We're fighting, and we're gonna win or we're gonna die. No retreat, no surrender."

Ted clutched at his bloody nose, looked like he was about to release a remark, but stopped himself.

Norris fired his shotgun at the approaching group of elites; two of their shields crackled, but the third snapped backwards, its chest a ruined mess of purple blood and guts. It flew backwards, and its comrades didn't give it a second thought.

The Ultra discarded its needle rifle, drew its energy sword, and the second levelled its needler at Norris.

What happened next was so quick Jemison was never quite sure it actually happened.

Norris flung himself over the barricade, and his feet impacted on the Ultra's chest. Before momentum sent them both sprawling to the floor, he fired wildly with his shotgun and blew the head off the second elite. The Ultra raised its sword mid fall and it sliced through the leg of Norris. Both landed on a heap on the floor, and now shieldless elite was raising the sword towards Norris's head-

Snap. The elite went limp, and sprawled over the now screaming Norris. Behind them both lay Li, prone and holding the Ultra's rifle.

Now they had two men in a vacuum with breached suits. Jemison and Moore raced out in seconds, and returned with Norris and Li, and Cruz was quick to seal the exit. They quickly threw off their spacesuits; their restriction of mobility made them useless now.


	3. No Mercy for Cowards

"Shit, man, he's hit pretty bad!" shouted Yale, trying his best to examine Li's wound without touching it. His face was pale from lack of oxygen.

Norris was screaming inwardly, trying desperately to remain stoic as bright red blood poured out in contrast to the murky steel. Cruz was desperately trying to apply a tourniquet to his mangled leg.

Moore was busy scrambling to find them both a second weapon each.

Jemison stood there, among the screaming.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. No, he was supposed to lead the gallant defence of Horizon Epsilon and through his bravery and steadfast command they would all prevail against the Covenant.

And now two people lay dead, and it was all his fault.

No. No, it was Farrell's fault for running. Disobeying orders. And Carter- impossible for it to be his fault- hell, it wasn't even hers. It was that chickenshit motherfucker Moore, doing his best to demoralize the crew. Didn't he know how important moral was to a soldier? And how that even the notion of defeat can cause loss? And how he had killed Carter, by distracting her, by polluting her mind with cowardice-

"Jemison, I really think we should go."

Jemison turned to Moore, who had dried blood still on his lip from the punch.

That was not even a shadow of the fate that now every cell of Jemison demanded he must meet.

He launched his two fists towards Moore's face, forcing his head backwards. He stumbled, but Jemison did not relent.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" screamed Cruz, as Jemison slammed Moore into the wall and kneed him and clawed at him and battered him.

"Stop, what the fuck man!" shouted Norris, blocking out his own pain.

Moore slid to the ground, battered and bleeding. Blood poured from his mouth.

The other four stared at him with mouths agape.

"Get the fuck away from him!" she demanded.

Jemison looked at her, his expression both disbelief and horror.

"How can you defend that weak piece of shit, after he killed Carter?"

"How the hell did he kill Carter?"

"Fucking told her to give up, not to fight. We would have won- SHOULD have won, if the fucking bastards had just listened…"

"Why are we here?"

Jemison turned to face Moore in a crumpled heap on the floor.

"Why are we here, Nathan? We could have gone in the shuttle. We could have left the Covenant to take this worthless base with nothing left worth taking. And now two of us are dead-" he coughed up some blood- "And three of us aren't exactly in tip-top shape.

"So, tell me: Why are we here?"

There was a sudden sound of sparks, and everybody turned to look. The Covenant were cutting down the airlock.

Yale immediately turned to one of the few remaining functional monitors, and said, "Outer airlock's still intact. No explosive decompression, but that's probably the least of our worries. Come on, we need to go."

"No! Nobody is going anywhere!" Jemison shouted. He couldn't believe it. Who would surrender their home, their land, and their rights like this? Cowards. Cowards the whole lot of them.

"We've got, like, a minute!" screamed Norris, "If that!"

Jemison looked at the human filth surrounding him. Cruz was trying to get to Moore. Li was in Yale's arms, heading for the exit. Moore was rolling, bleeding, trying desperately to cling to consciousness. And Norris was darting for his sidearm-

Jemison realized it and drew ever so slightly quicker.

Bang.

Norris's neck exploded in a shower of blood, covering Yale's shocked face.

Jemison stood silently, as he desperately thrashed for a few final moments before falling limp.

"Oh Jesus…"

His head was a mess of ideas and confusion and terror. No. He was the hero. He had to be the hero. Couldn't be any-any-

Jemison vomited. He was going to die. They were all going to die and it was all his fault-

No, goddamn it! Moore had demoralized them all, Norris had tried to kill him, probably arrayed with him from the start, because they couldn't have Jemison the hero-

His paranoia stretched too far, and shattered. He fell to his knees, crying and hyperventilating.

"I'm…I'm sorry… I just wanted to…," He paused, and resumed with his voice broken, "be the hero."

Yale looked at the pathetic form of a man crying to himself. He then picked Li onto his shoulders, and Cruz grabbed Moore, and the four of them hobbled away. Jemison made no attempt to follow.

He kneeled against the barricade, his gun balanced on it, and decided that, even if he would be remembered as the bastard who damned the crew of Horizon-Base-Epsilon, he would at least save some on them.

The door opened, and Nathan Henry Jemison opened fire.

The three grunts fell immediately. Jemison hefted a grenade down the corridor, spraying the walls in blood.

He had lost. So why wasn't he dead? "Death Before Defeat," his father had told him on his deathbed.

And, before a wave of plasma reduced Jemison to nothingness and ash, he thought:

"It takes a strong man to die for what he believes in. It takes a stronger man to admit he was wrong."

And Nathan Henry Jemison was no more.


	4. Good Men Who Took a Stand

Cruz slid onto the pelican, strapping Moore to one of the seats, next to Li.

Yale was desperately flicking switches and pulling back on the yoke.

"Let's go!" screamed Cruz, sweat pouring down her forehead.

The pelican shot into the sky, its thrusters orange-red against the starry sky.

Cruz waited for the inevitable screech of a banshee, the wail of a phantom, or something that had condemned their troubles to nothing. It didn't come.

They sat in silence for the next hour. Li swayed in and out of consciousness; Yale was focusing on piloting; Cruz was trying her best to save Moore. It was much worse than she'd thought; Jemison's unrelenting punches had broken his skull. He died without ever waking.

Yale turned as the door opened.

"They doing alright?"

Cruz paused, before saying, "Ted didn't make it."

A beat of silence. Yale didn't really know what to say.

"Li's stable. If we head for Arcadia, we should get picked up there."

"What do you think happened to Jemison?"

"Thought he'd be a hero. Lead his men to victory over the Covenant… even if he had no clue how to fight. I guess he took all the propaganda to heart, thought himself a coward for not fighting, thought it'd be easy to hold them off. And, even when he did things just like they did all the other times, he still failed. So he blamed us."

Yale suddenly broke down into tears.

Cruz left him there, and stared out at Horizon, now thousands of miles away. They had found no data, and were glassing the planet. An intense brightness sparked upwards, as rock was melted into magma and glass.

Jemison was atoms now. That was his price for deciding death before defeat.


End file.
